course of reporting was that for several years on her website, she recommended a book by an author named steve wilkins. wilkins is a civil war revisionist historian and in the book, has some really inflammatory outrageous things to say about slavery, essentially defending slavery as an institution that was built on, in his words, mutual respect i believe is the phrase. this is a biography of robert lee that she recommended her constituents must read. at that point, they didn't respond to questions about that so she's yet to be asked why she recommended a book that is objectively pro-slavery. that will be an issue she has to deal with in the coming days and weeks. >> it's a great piece. thank you so much. >>> just hours after the ames straw poll results get in, michele bachmann will be david gregory's guest on a special edition of "meet the press" live from iowa. check your local listings for times. >>> and a big vote of no confidence in the new "washington post" poll. huge majorities, in fact, most americans now are giving up hope that most government officials can come to the rescue. nearly 8